Friday, December 12, 2008 @ 10:47am

Tom Clancy's EndWar Review

Tommy Skaggs

Tom Clancy's EndWar has been getting some pretty positive reviews through various sources. It has some pretty innovative features, but also some critical flaws. I had the chance to play the XBOX360 version, and slowly became frustrated with the views and control scheme. So, I decided to head over to my friend and co-worker, Chris Powell, for an in-depth review:

By Chris Powell

Chris Powell

This is the first Tom Clancy game I've played on the PS3. With a reputation of being the creme de la creme of war games I was pretty excited to get my grubby little hands on the game. Especially after reading up about it. Unfortunately for me my expectations were too high.

As a game End War is a Real Time Strategy (RTS) game that allows you to verbally, and or through the controller, command units to certain points or to attack enemy units. Usually with a RTS ported over to a console the game fails, and that is why Ubisoft built this game from the ground up to be supported played on both the PS3 and X-Box 360. With a unique voice recognition interface you are able to command your units by saying simple sentences and then allow your units to deploy. You can also do the same thing with the controller, but it becomes more cumbersome and slows the action down. I would say that the voice command structure was a success, but the problem was that you get bored using the same sentences over and over again. It ends up that over a couple hour periods I must have said the same sentence with slight variations about 150 times. Doesn't add too much for variety in a game.

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While the voice recognition was cool the whole game became a drag after a bit. The overall plot of the game is that World War III has broke out and you must choose a side. The single player game starts out with a tutorial of how to use the game while giving you background as to why WW3 started. After that the game goes light on story and focuses more on the strategic fighting. This led me to care even less about why I was fighting due to the fact that after the game told you how you got there it didn't really go in-depth as to why you still want to fight. The second half of the single player game I think was really meant to train you for the online portion of the game.

And the online portion is where the game gets a little more enjoyable. Not the actual game play, but the voice chat that you get to engage in while your room is building. I had a great time talking with someone that went by the name "Medic" and in fact turned out to be a soldier in the Army that was a medic for his unit. Unfortunately if you don't get a person who wants to chat or talk with you then you just sit there in silence by yourself. Talking also helps if you are in a two on two sessions. I lost many a battle because my partner would not talk with me or follow my requests to move up and help defend an area. That really isn't a poor showing of the game though.

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The game play is just ok. I would command units to go to certain positions and they would reply they were unable to do that. If I repeated my command however they would deploy to the area requested. In a game that is fast paced like End War repeating commands gets very obnoxious and frustrating. The other portion I had a problem with is that while sending infantry units onto the field and then issuing orders to take cover you would find half the unit behind something and the other half just standing out in the open. Annoying to say the least. In a real war zone I'm sure all the soldiers would find an area to take cover. Live fire tends to make people get out of the way.

Overall the game starts out fun and then becomes tiring. The PS3 supports an open platform on Bluetooth so you don't have to worry about getting a special headset. As I said earlier the voice recognition software is great and should be applied to many other games down the road. End War is a great start to a great game. It's just not that great game yet. I would recommend getting a rental copy first and if you enjoy it then go ahead and buy it.

endwar3

In the end, Tom Clancy's End War gets a 2.5 out of 5 from me.

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Thursday, December 11, 2008 @ 2:27pm

Match-Up

I love my 2008 Cranium Day-by-Day calendar. And, I'm planning on grabbing the 2009 version, too.

Here's today's offering (if you can't answer these questions... you aren't my friend anymore):

Dec11

How did you do?

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Thursday, December 11, 2008 @ 11:22am

Search Results

Google just launched their 2008 Year-End Zeitgeist . It's a pretty interesting rundown what people search for on the internet. The list spans from Political to just "Top of Mind."

One of the interesting features is the ability to see the results from different countries. It is amazing how different the internet is utilized across the globe.

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Thursday, December 4, 2008 @ 11:40am

Daily Deal Websites

HOT DEALS Many online stores use daily deals to have users check their sites each day. Here are some Daily Deal sites I check regurarly:

Amazon Goldbox - A daily deal + hourly deals. (HINT: Today's daily deals are all Video Games!!! There's a really good deal on the new Star Wars game)

Musician's Friend Stupid Deal - It is what it is... some days? It is amazing deals. Others? It is just plain dumb. But, it has me checking back each day.

Woot! - This site only sells one item per day! It could be anything! You can also check out its sister sites: Shirt.Woot! and Sellout.Woot!

Do you use any other Daily-Deal type sites? What are they?

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Tuesday, December 2, 2008 @ 3:34pm

Nintendo Gift Guide

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For every video game produced, there are dozens (if not hundreds) of game reviews. Sometimes it is best just to turn off the noise, and just go experience the game for yourself.

Today, I had the opportunity to visit a traveling Nintendo bus. They were showcasing the best games to buy for the holiday season.

Here's what they had to offer for the Wii:

Wii Fit - Good game to get into shape. It has been out the longest of the games shown here, but it is still hard to get your hands on. I've only had limited play with the Wii Fit, but it has been very positive.

Mario Super Sluggers - Out of everything showcased today, this game was probably the most disappointing. The gameplay was OKAY, but the wrist-flicking to pitch and bat just became a little too much. (Read the full review here)

Warioland: Shake It - A fun throw-back, 2D Side-Scroller. I had a great time going through this game, collecting, and getting rich. (Read the full review here)

Wii Music - This one has been bashed by reviewers, and I was pretty optimistic. But, after trying it today with an open mind... it was pretty entertaining. This is the type of game that ANYBODY can play. Have Grandma and a younger cousin at your apartment? Pop in Wii Music, and everyone will have a good time. The Muppet-style characters were well formed, and pretty funny. I only had a short visit with the game today and had a great time, but it might get old after a while. (Read Jim Valley's review)

Animal Crossing: City Folk - This is the title we spent the most time with today. This game offers everything the Gamecube and DS version had, plus some new features. This is the first game to use the Wii Microphone to talk over the internet. This game is compatible with the DS version (moving items from the DS to the Wii). It is very exciting, and (in my opinion) should be a great seller this season. (Check out a review at Gamespot)

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For the DS, they had: Nintendogs, Kirby, Pokemon, New Super Mario Bros. and Animal Crossing: Wide World. But the two that really caught my eye were:

Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir - I'm not 100% sure what this game is about. Today, I played one of the mini-games that was similar to an I-Spy book. From what I can tell, the player assumes the role of a detective, and tries to solve the mystery.

Personal Trainer: Cooking - This isn't an actual game... it's a real cookbook! There's a world map, you select a country, and it shows different meals to make. It goes step-by-step. After selecting an item to cook, it will show a checklist of items to buy. So, you can check off everything you have at your house, and bring the DS to the store, and use it as a shopping list. Next, it shows preparation instructions. And, then how to cook. There are many voice-activated commands that are important to use if your hands are dirty from cooking. If I had a say... Nintendo should figure out a way to connect this game to the internet, to download more recipes as time goes on.

What games do you want to find in your stocking this season?

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Monday, December 1, 2008 @ 5:53pm

Turning Swords to Ploughshares

disaster

Gaming in the classroom is an excellent idea. But, can it be pulled off effectively?

Duke University and Virtual Heroes (creators of America's Army) developed a simulator game called Virtual Peace: Turning Swords to Ploughshares. The simulator gives students real-life natural disasters where they assume the role of leaders of various organizations. Then they must figure the best way to assist other countries.

The demo video presents many features of the simulator.

In your opinion, does this kind of technology belong in the classroom? Will the knowledge in the game work in the real-world?

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Monday, November 24, 2008 @ 12:58pm

Firefox Hint: Use Tabs

Tommy Skaggs

Firefox helped change the way many surf the internet. It was the first internet browser proving Internet Explorer it wasn't the only contender.

I have a set of websites that are checked on a daily basis. This could be a time consuming activity, but there is a way to significantly cut the time down.

Below is a quick tutorial on how to utilize the Tabs and Bookmarks feature in Firefox. For the advanced user, this is probably a routine procedure used many times throughout the entire day. But, for others? This will open the door for easier and faster web browsing.

STEP 1: Bookmark a Site

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Navigate to a site that you check regularly. Click on the Bookmarks tab, and select "Bookmark This Page."

STEP 2: Create a New Folder

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When the above window appears, first click on the arrow button to display more. Then, click "New Folder." A new folder is now created. Give it an applicable name. I chose "News Sites."

STEP 3: Bookmark More Sites

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Go and find a bunch of other sites, and follow the instructions in Step 1. Now, instead of creating a new folder, use the drop-down menu, and select the folder you created.

Step 4: Open the Tabs

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Click on BOOKMARKS, select the folder you created, and select "Open All in Tabs."

Step 5: Enjoy!

bookmark5

See your tabs? We just opened up four different websites in the time it usually would have taken to open just one!

The best way to use this feature is to group similar sites into different folders. On my computer, I have a folder for; Webcomics, Daily-Deal Sites, News Sites, Technology Sites and Music.

Please use the Comments feature below to post any questions about this article, or any other Firefox hints!

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Thursday, November 20, 2008 @ 4:22pm

The Matrix Runs Windows

I'm in the market to buy a new computer and can't decide between an Apple or Windows machine. If they were the exact same price, I'd most likely purchase an Apple... but, there's usually around a $1000 difference between the two. I want to get a good machine for the lowest price possible.

I've been pretty happy with my Compaq Windows XP machine. But, if I wanted to buy a new Windows computer, I'm forced to use Vista. That's just a nightmare. Even now, many machines on the market are listed as "Vista Capable," but they are not.

On the flip side, I've worked with various Mac/Apple computers since elementary school, and I still don't feel 100% comfortable at the helm of these machines. They've become more reliable and user-friendly in the recent years, and have a "cool-indie" feel to them... but, do they REALLY live up to the hype? Are they really worth the extra money?

So, the plan now is just to sit back, do a little more research and wait for some holiday price drops.

Anyone else in the market for a new computer? What are you looking for? Finding any good deals?

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Monday, November 17, 2008 @ 2:01pm

iFruit 1.0 + Comic Book Movies

Tommy Skaggs

appleapple

How do you like them apples?

Using the same technology that gives sunbathers ghost images on their body... stickers are placed on the apples a month prior to harvesting. The result? Geek Fruit!

This is such a great idea. Just think about the guy who made these. He was probably making a MAXIMUM of ten cents profit per regular apple. Now, he is probably making alot more.

Check out the article on Gizmodo for more pictures.

On an unrelated note, the guys over at Den of Geek created a list of 75 Comics currently being made into films.

While the result of a comic book turned movie is uaually interesting and entertaining, Hollywood needs to start creating their own characters, rather than recreating comic book worlds.

Have we gotten to the point where comics are no more than screenplays for future movies?

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Friday, November 14, 2008 @ 3:04pm

Tech and Gaming Center

The Getting Wired e-mail address is now active!

Send an e-mail with any questions, tips, or anything you want to see covered to: gettingwired@973kiro.com. Your e-mail might be featured in an upcoming post.

~Tommy

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